all images courtesy of Moreau Kusunoki Architectes and Guggenheim Helsinki

renderings © artefactorylab

The most speculative international competition for Helsinki has finally been announced and Paris-based design studio Moreau Kusunoki Architectes won Guggenheim Helsinki Design Competition, which has been announced by Guggenheim Helsinki.

The jury selected this scheme among five finalists and the project has been declared as ''art in the city'' since the project respected the site and setting,a fragmented pieces, non-hierarchical, horizontal campus of linked pavilions where art and society could meet and inter-mingle mentioned in the jury statement.

According to Moreau Kusunoki Architectes' design approach, the design of the Guggenheim Helsinki and its woven landscape are based upon a sensitive and sympathetic approach to the context and nature of Helsinki. The design encourages people to flow within a new cultural core that is linked to the rest of the city, through the port promenade and the pedestrian footbridge to the Observatory Park. This flexible access welcomes not only the visitors but also serves as a key cultural destination for the community.

The museum skyline is composed by independent volumes, highlighted by a landmark tower. These fragmented art exhibition spaces allow strong integration with outdoor display and events, while the lighthouse offers a new perspective over the city. This new museum concept together with the charred timber façade echoes the process of regeneration that occurs when forests burn and then grow back stronger.

Jury mentioned about the project as follows:

''The scheme proposed a collection of linked pavilions, each orientated to respect the city grid, and anchored by a lookout tower. The building would cohere around a covered street landscape that expanded and contracted according to its interaction with the discrete pavilions and is animated by different activities. The Jury found the design deeply respectful of the site and setting, creating a fragmented, non-hierarchical, horizontal campus of linked pavilions where art and society could meet and inter-mingle. The connections between the pavilions have been well considered to permit a continuous gallery experience, if required.

view from the north square

''The waterfront, park, and city each had a dialogue with the building yet the forms and materials were distinctive and contemporary, without being iconic. The drawings were imbued with a sense of community and animation that matched the ambitions of the brief to honour both the people of Finland, and the creation of the museum of the future.''

''It was recognized that further work would be needed to resolve vertical circulation, use of the main terrace, and the construction of the roof, but these issues were considered to be a normal part of design development, and the Jury had confidence in the strength of the design concept. The concept is extremely flexible and is designed to embrace evolving urban, museum, and technological requirements.''

gallery 4 upper floor

lighthouse restaurant

> via designguggenheimhelsinki.org